Kamehameha-Maui rallies to defeat Kauai
A change in strategy can backfire, but the Kamehameha-Maui Warriors had nothing to lose.
The Warriors, behind the timely passing of Keahi Raikes and a pivotal special-teams play, rallied to oust host Kauai 14-7 last night at Hanapepe Stadium. A switch from KS-Maui's normal run-first game to a run-and-shoot turned the tide in the third quarter.
A near-capacity crowd saw Kamehameha-Maui (6-6), champion of the Maui Interscholastic League, advance to the semifinals of the HHSAA/First Hawaiian Bank Division II State Championships. The Warriors will play at Radford next Saturday.
Kauai, winner of three consecutive Kauai Interscholastic Federation titles, closed the year at 6-2-1.
Kauai took an early lead on quarterback Pono Matthews' 32-yard scoring run. The Red Raiders led 7-0 with 5:55 remaining in the opening quarter.
That lead held until the third quarter, when KS-Maui switched to the run-and-shoot and caught Kauai off-guard.
Mokihana Silva's 9-yard run pulled KS-Maui into a tie at 7-all with 16 seconds left in the third quarter.
Moments later, Rocky Keawekane returned a punt 51 yards to set up KS-Maui's go-ahead touchdown. Raikes found Robert-John Kukahiko for a 5-yard touchdown pass, and the Warriors led 14-7 with 9:45 remaining in the game.
After that, the Red Raiders got no deeper than the Warriors' 33-yard line.
Raikes completed 13 of his 18 attempts, and came through in clutch situations. KS-Maui was 5-for-10 in third-down conversions.
Kamehameha-Maui 14, Kauai 7
At Hanapepe Stadium
| KS-Maui (6-6) |
0 |
0 |
7 |
7 |
-- |
14
|
| Kauai (6-2-1) |
7 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
-- |
7 |
Kauai--Pono Matthews 32 run (Frank Speetjens kick).
KSM--Mokihana Silva 9 run (Kainalu Severson kick).
KSM--Robert-John Kukahiko 5 pass from Keahi Raikes (Severson kick).
RUSHING--Kamehameha-Maui: Mitchell-Kaui Owan 10-49, Shane Kamakaokalani 11-34, Keahi Raikes 10-21, Curtis Puli 3-15, Silva 1-9. Kauai: Matthews 15-50, Jonathan Rellin 7-29, Lucky Andres 2-20, Alan Kalili 1-1, Brendan Young 2-0.
PASSING--Kamehameha-Maui: Raikes 13-18-1-132. Kauai: Matthews 6-13-1-47, Tron Rule 3-5-0-25.
RECEIVING--Kamehameha-Maui: Rocky Keawekane 4-44, Keaton Tam 4-44, Kukahiko 2-19, Alepaki Kailiehu-Shinyama 1-19, Travis Wong 1-3, Kamakaokalani 1-3. Kauai: Andres 4-37, Kalili 2-22, Jett Jasper 2-13, Rellin 1-0.
